Dear Members and Friends,
Every April, in preparation for our annual meeting in May, we ask members and friends to clearly communicate their intentions for sharing money with the congregation in the upcoming fiscal year (July 2026-June 2027). If you’ve been with us recently, you have (we hope!) noticed that together we are growing and doing exciting things:
Welcoming new and returning visitors alongside familiar faces to Sunday services.
Adding new members at a steady pace,
In the process of calling our minister to settled ministry, gathering to assess our shared ministry and identifying areas of strength and stability.
Sharing space with a forest preschool, which provides a budgetary boost and uses our outdoor and indoor spaces more fully and for purposes aligned with our values,
Co-hosting a statewide meeting of UUs organizing for justice work (TUUCAN).
Offering religious education for folks of all ages, like Climate Justice Workshops, UU Compass, and ever-ready Sunday volunteers to be with children of visiting families.
Enjoying social time together: Sunday potlucks, special events like our recent auction, Saturday afternoons and evenings devoted to workshops, trivia, movies, and games.
Last year, this letter invited us collectively “to stretch our imaginations and capacities to become people who build community and speak truth, for ourselves and for others.” One year later, we are experiencing sustained growth and stability; our imagination and capacity continue to fuel our justice work. Here is the question each of us and all of us together must answer this spring as we make plans for next year:
"What feels possible that didn't feel possible a year ago?"
Since GNUUC’s beginning over 30 years ago, we have relied on the sustained attention and generosity of members and friends. Once again, each of us has the opportunity to support our congregation’s health and in turn help heal the world. People these days need encouragement, and as a healthy, growing faith community, we are needed in Nashville and beyond. YOU are needed, now more than ever!
Let’s discover what is possible for us. Individually, let’s consider what we can realistically share financially. (Please imagine stretching, but stretch within your capacity!) Together, who knows all the possibilities, but we will discover them in good company. Visit our Online Pledge Card or turn in a physical card on Sundays. The pledge drive runs through April 19, 2026.
Still yours in gratitude and generosity,
Rev. Denise Gyauch (Minister) and Jesse Spencer-Smith (Stewardship Drive Chair)
It's a busy stretch for community action! NOAH has several upcoming events you won't want to miss:
This Saturday, April 11 — Kick things off at a Voter Happy Hour at Plaza Mariachi (2:00 pm), where NOAH's Integrated Voter Engagement team will discuss what's at stake in the May 5 elections. Register Here
Sunday, April 12 — Attend the MNPS School Board Candidates Forum at Kairos Ebenezer AME Church (4:00 pm), featuring candidates for seats 2, 4, 6, and 8. Register Here
Tuesday, April 14 — Join the monthly Membership/Board Meeting at First UU Church (6:30 pm).
Thursday, April 16 — Don't miss "Transformational Justice: The People's Voice in the Courts", a community judicial candidates forum at Clark Memorial United Methodist Church (6:30 pm). Register Here
Ongoing Action — Moral Budget: NOAH is calling on Nashville to invest $30 million in the Barnes Housing Trust Fund to support affordable housing. Contact your councilmember today! Send a Message to Your Councilmember
Save the Date: NOAH's 2026 Banquet — Faithful Resistance, Rooted in Justice, Rising in Hope — is set for June 4, 2026.